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This Week in Eco News - May 31, 2013

Happy Friday! We're kicking off this week's compilation of Eco News stories with a link to our Best of the Web Video feature. We alternate weekly to share the best in food, water and energy videos from around the web along with the news stories we follow, circulate internally and publish synopses of throughout the week. You can find them all week long — in real time — in the column to the right, just above our Best of the Web Video viewer. You can also sign up to receive Eco News via email each Thursday. If you see a story you think we should include, drop us a line at blog@gracelinks.org.

Water, Energy, Food - Nexus Thinking ExplainedFood, water and energy are all connected; what we call the nexus. As world population grows to 9 billion by 2050, we'll need to provide more food, which means more energy and that means we're going to need a lot more water. And in a changing climate, we're going to have to achieve more with less. That requires nexus thinking.Take Action: Explore GRACE's nexus pages so you can know the nexus!

Gut Punch: Monsanto Could Be Destroying Your MicrobiomeThe EPA has raised the allowable limits for how much Roundup can remain on the food we eat and the crops we feed to animals. Roundup has known negative environmental effects, such as decimating amphibian populations and aquatic plants. New research also shows that Roundup is killing many species of beneficial animal gut bacteria while not affecting more harmful gut bacteria, like E. coli and the bacteria that causes botulism. Chances are it has similar effect on the versions of those bacteria that live in humans. [Grist]

Women on the Farm: An Evolving RoleWomen have worked in agriculture since agriculture began, but for many years they were limited to supporting roles. Now their roles have changed. "Talk of Iowa" seeks out women's voices in agriculture, through history and today. [Iowa Public Radio]

USDA Inspector General: Food Safety and Humane Slaughter Laws Ignored With ImpunityTwo weeks ago, the USDA's Office of the Inspector General released a report condemning the US Food Safety Inspection Services (FSIS). Among the many shocking revelations: FSIS doesn't meaningfully attempt to stop repeat violations of food safety laws; it has allowed a 15-year-old pilot program with faster slaughter and fewer inspectors to proceed without review; it all but ignores its humane slaughter mandate. [Huffington Post]

Calories In Fast Food Meals Underestimated By Consumers, Study RevealsAccording to new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), consumers underestimate the amount of calories in their fast food meals. Teens underestimate the number of calories in their meals by as much as 34 percent, parents of school-age children by as much as 23 percent and adults by as much as 20 percent. [Huffington Post]

Former Pro-GMO Scientist Speaks Out on Dangers of Genetically Engineered FoodThierry Vrain, a former research scientist for Agriculture Canada, was once tasked with convincing the public GMOs were safe and an important technological advancement - but these days he's singing a different tune. Since acknowledging the mounting credible research and evidence on GMOs, Vrain is now voicing his concerns about the dangers of GMOs to both public health and the environment. [Mercola]

Seeking Food Ingredients That Aren't Gene-AlteredMany sustainable and responsible food manufacturers in the US are trying to meet consumer demand for products that are free from ingredients with GMOs - but the task of finding such ingredients is proving to be exceedingly daunting. [New York Times]

US Groundwater Losses Between 1900-2008 : Enough To Fill Lake Erie TwiceAccording to the first-ever USGS groundwater assessment, from 2000 to 2008 the United States has depleted its groundwater resources at a faster clip when compared to the previous study years. Although the unsustainable pumping of aquifers requires local and regional solutions, the global hydrological balance is affected as groundwater has significantly contributed to sea level rise. [Circle of Blue]

US Marks At Least 65 Years of National Water CrisisAn interesting step back to 1948 when journalist Lester Velie wrote of the American water crisis in terms similar to today's. One positive point is that more efficient water use and (hopefully) better policy has avoided the prediction that the "U.S. Southwest could shut down in two decades." [Circle of Blue]

The Remarkable Story Of How New York City Gets Its WaterHere's an excellent and enlightening interview of environmental historian, David Soll, about his new book, Empire of Water, which looks at the historical context and possible futures for New York City's truly amazing (and pure) water supply. (Part Two.) [Gotham Gazette]

A River Runs Through ItIn the final analysis, the best way to combat the enormous Gulf of Mexico dead zone is a revamped US agricultural policy that deemphasizes excessive use of fertilizers that wash into the Mississippi River and overwhelm the Gulf with nutrients. (There is also an accompanying "The Making of a Dead Zone" infographic.) [The Fern]

A Black Mound of Canadian Oil Waste Is Rising Over DetroitPetroleum coke, a waste byproduct of refined Canadian tar sands oil, is piling up along the Detroit River in a huge mound. City leaders in Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, along with concerned citizens, are calling on Koch Carbon to stop treating Detroit like a dumping ground because the dirty residue left over from dirty tar sands is "costly and inconvenient to store, but effectively costs nothing to produce." [New York Times]

In the final analysis, the best way to combat the enormous Gulf of Mexico dead zone is a revamped US agricultural policy that deemphasizes excessive use of fertilizers that wash into the Mississippi River and overwhelm the Gulf with nutrients.

US Coal-Fired Power Plants: Update or Close?Owners of coal-fired power plants are making big decisions right now - upgrade or shut down - based on their best guesses of whether or not strict new regulations on coal emissions are going to finally become reality. [Scientific American]

Pro-Environment Light Bulb Labeling Turns Off Conservatives, Study FindsSadly, reducing carbon emissions is a political, not scientific, issue in the US. And so a recent study found that self-described conservative customers were less likely to buy energy efficient light bulbs if there was pro-environmental wording on the packaging, and the labeling made little impact for liberal customers. [National Geographic]

Study Updates Water-Use Estimates for Different Electricity Generation MethodsIt may not be at the top of your summer reading list, but a new study on the water use of different electricity sources is a big deal for those who are concerned about the water impacts of the power generation, and the vulnerability of different power sources to fluctuations in water supplies. [Environmental Research Web]

Coal's US ComebackDespite the soaring increase in domestic production of natural gas, prices are rising which once again makes coal a more attractive option. Last November through March, more electricity was generated by burning coal than natural gas (after being tied the previous year). It's yet more evidence that natural gas is a rickety bridge at best towards a renewable future. [SmartPlanet]

Solar Industry Anxious Over Defective PanelsThere are no industry-wide figures about defective solar panels, but anecdotal evidence is pointing to a possible quality control problem in the solar panel manufacturing industry, particularly those using Chinese-made parts. [New York Times]

Learn More

A new report reveals the truth behind food industry front groups and many of the ads and campaigns we see every day. These groups are named to sound objective and trustworthy, and to be easily confused with non-profit public interest groups.

This Real Food’s English name comes from the French dent de lion ("lion’s tooth"), likely owing to its tooth-like serrated leaves. Dandelion greens are at their best in the spring to very early summer, before the flowers begin to bloom, while the

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